Hear them roar: South Korea to open Asia’s largest ‘tiger forest’ development

This comes on the back of efforts to preserve the endangered species in the wild.

A new ‘tiger forest’ development that will be home to two Siberian tigers will be opened in southeastern South Korea next week, announced the country’s forest authorities.

This comes on the back of efforts to preserve the endangered species in the wild.

Established on a site of 27,600 sqm, the National Baekdu-daegan Arboretum will be the largest of its kind in Asia when it opens to the public on May 3, according to The Korea Herald. The forest development is located on a mountain range near Bonghwa, a town in the southeast province of North Gyeongsang.

Visitors from the public will be able to meet its two furry inhabitants - a 13-year-old female named Hancheong and a seven-year-old male named Uri from Seoul Grand Park - in the arboretum's 4.8 ha forest the following day after the park opens.

The tigers’ new home, as large as seven full-sized soccer pitches and is South Korea’s largest, has been made to resemble the natural habitats where wild tigers live. Safety fences will enclose the tigers’ habitat area.

The development is also home to 3.85 million plants of 2,002 species, and will house 27 exhibition gardens including an alpine swamp and a wild flower hill.

Following its initial opening, the arboretum plans to release another male tiger named Duman, 17, donated by China.

The arboretum plans to bring 10 additional tigers to the forest for its ecological study on the species, which will help it preserve the animal.